Where the public dollar goes.
Follow school-tax collections, municipal obligations and toll-road transfers through the accounts that determine what can be spent.
A large collection total, a positive reserve and a paid-off bond answer different financial questions. These three studies follow the public dollar through recapture, long-term obligations and transfers between transportation funds.
The evidence runs through FY2025. Audited basic statements, historical reporting schedules and contract provisions retain their own boundaries; each essay includes inspectable data and source notes.
Reading path updated .
The school-tax dollar Austin keeps
Follow Austin ISD’s gross M&O tax collections through recapture to retained revenue and the audited General Fund result.
7 min readFive cities, two balance sheets
Compare current fund resources with long-term obligations, then examine the pension payments and utility transfers connecting them.
9 min readHarris County’s toll-road cash
Trace HCTRA’s three-year county transfers and separate road revenue from collection services and accounting movements.
7 min read